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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26319472">Seattle Men</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Rydges/pseuds/J_Rydges'>J_Rydges</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twilight Series - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gay Male Character, M/M, Tattoos, Y'all ever just have an idea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:42:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26319472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Rydges/pseuds/J_Rydges</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul's imprint isn't quite what anyone was expecting from the womaniser. A little rougher around the edges, a little closed off emotionally, and not at all his typical go to when it comes to satisfying his needs. For someone who's supposedly so confident when it comes to picking people up, the spirits really threw him a curve ball with this one.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Paul Lahote/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Good To Be Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>After a long break from writing as I firmly believe I'm trash at it, I'm back at it again with the random story and probably no follow up. I will try for as long as my wrist and my brain can do it. Dealing with Carpal Tunnel and probably un-diagnosed ADD but we are on a mission to get both seen to.</p><p>This chapter is really just an introduction to the main dude, show you what he's like and his attitude before we get into things.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You know, for the amount of tattoo's I have, the stereotype would be that I'm a hardened criminal. I mean, I guess I do have that air about me, and there's the small detail of my criminal record being longer than your average decent person who just put a sizeable deposit down on their second home. Right? Well, maybe that's why I'm getting the looks I am from the real estate agent right now. Actually, you know what? It's probably the fact that I'm also almost seven feet tall. Yeah, that's probably why she's giving me that up-down look like I either shouldn't be here or I'm about to make this a drug den.</p><p>"Fantastic, everything's been processed for you. The bank confirmed everything a few days ago, there was just a small pile of paperwork to deal with, but... Everything's sorted, so here are your keys, and congratulations on your new home." The blonde said, unhooking the set for the house and handing it over. </p><p>I had always hated small interactions like this. Never being the type for small talk, I just never saw any reason to talk about the obvious just to pass time. </p><p>"Thanks." </p><p>That was it. I had shit to do. </p><p>She took off not much later than that while I walked through the house knowing already that the reason I bought it wasn't for its... Charming architecture. The driveway was a good two minutes from the gate that had no fence - not sure if it fell over and was removed or if it was just never there to begin with, to be honest with you, surrounded by forest and had a massive backyard. I had already arranged for someone to come in, tear down some walls and redo the place completely. Mould just really isn't my thing, you know? </p><p>But as I said, I had shit to do today, so instead of walking around aimlessly or jumping for joy over the project house, I locked up and left. </p><p>See, I'd just lost my Mother. I say just, it was probably 3 months ago now but it still feels fresh. I'd watched the Cancer eat away at her, taking her hair, her fat and muscle. The fucking thing made it unbearable for her to even touch me because of the chemo. She was a fighter, but it was too much. It spread from her breasts to her brain and just fucking took her. My Father is still around somewhere, but we can talk about that later. </p><p>For now, I'm focusing on myself and getting my head right again. Originally I had been running a mechanic shop up in Seattle, but after Ma died I just couldn't focus. She had lived down here, and I guess it's a way to feel closer to her while working through my shit but really I just had to leave someone in charge for a while so I could take a break. It had gotten to a point where I would turn up for work, get angry at every little thing and have an anxiety attack over a fucking oil change. Easy as cake, and I'm under the car shaking and getting claustrophobic for the first time in my life. </p><p>As I said earlier, my tattoo's are everywhere. It was one of the main things that meant the apprentice mechs instantly knew not to fuck with me. Classic birth year tattoo under my chest in Gothic block lettering, a switch blade down the inside of my forearm, some barbed wire thrown in, a rose in bloom and a few other small pieces just to tie the look together. Most of it was meaningless and shit I just felt like I wanted, looked aesthetically pleasing or was influenced by a song, character or someone I'd met before. The rose though was for my Ma, her name being Roisin, <i>little rose</i>. It was all just black ink and shading in parts. I hated colour.</p><p>The only one I hadn't quite figured out, was the wolf I couldn't get out of my head. I felt like my brain was obsessed with them, well, one in particular, but it was always the same dream with this one. I had found the house that the dream had led me to every single time - just bought it in fact, but what I hadn't found, was that giant wolf.</p><p>I didn't know what any of it meant, in reality I'm quite literally just having a mental breakdown and chasing a dream as a midlife crisis after having my Ma die, but hey, we're here and we're ready to die in a forest because of a giant wolf I guess. </p><p>Let's get to it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bread Crumbs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We get to name our main character, plus he meets Paul. I'm really just filling time before one specific event I have in my mind is able to be planted into the story so it's not just a big 'listen to this dude's thoughts' fic.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With the weather being what it is in La Push, I headed back to Seattle for a couple weeks while some repair work started. I would check back for a visit every few days to find out what was happening, what work was being done and how fast it was going. Knowing what it's like to run a shop, labourers are pretty much the same in terms of casual fuck around's. Doesn't matter how good the boss is.</p><p>The company I'd hired seemed to know what they were doing, I only really talked to the owner/operator, Sam Uley, but today was another day where I'd had enough of Seattle. Living near the hospital was not at all what I was expecting, and every now and then I'd get the feeling of death around but hey, I guess that's what you get when you're that close. Truth is, I was being pulled down to La Push. It was like I was being suffocated up here, and every day the choke hold got worse. The dreams had started to overrun my whole fucking brain. Every time I closed my eyes, sleeping or not, all I could see was that damn wolf in the pouring rain. </p><p>It would always start slow, I'd be walking through the forest in the middle of the night, the moon was always full and I could hear voices in the distance. I would walk for what felt like days, but I would never reach those voices. Suddenly I would come across a river and that same feeling of death would start to lurk around. I had noticed that I was always shirtless in these dreams, walking through the forest, in the pouring rain no less, with my usual running shorts on and bare feet. Every time I would reach the edge of the river, I would see three figures blurred as they moved between the trees; the silver wolf would chase them away, snapping at them before they would turn another way and it would lose it's momentum having to switch direction every time one of the figures jumped around a tree or into it. </p><p>They were driving me insane. Every night the same thing and just waking up to feel empty and lost; and I think that's why I was coming down so often before the house was even half finished. I wanted more, I needed more information, more details, more something to give me some relief from what felt like night walking.</p><p>Ironically enough, it was pouring again as I drove the long road between Forks and La Push. Shocker for these parts, I know, never would have guessed it.</p><p>I pulled up to the house finally; thinking I was going to slip off the road earlier wasn't particularly fun, but I'd made it. Stepping out of my black Fortuner, there were about three trucks and 4x4's pulled up, all looking like I'd stepped out into the nineties. Sam's truck was parked out the front with them, front door wide open with one of the guys walking out with a tool belt in hand as well as a drill.</p><p>There's a funny ha ha saying that people like to throw at any sprouting teenager here, but seriously if there isn't something in the water I would be surprised. These guys all had muscle mass that looked like they'd been working since birth to get there, most of them just as tall, if not taller than me, and all had the same haircut, tattoo and tan. </p><p>Maybe they all had to fit a certain description to get in. Or join a cult?</p><p>"Oh, hey man. Sam's in the main bathroom." The guy said with a smile, nodding to the door.</p><p>"Thanks, uh...?" I said, kind of hoping he'd tell me who he was.</p><p>"Embry." He said, putting the drill on the roof of the truck and holding out a hand.</p><p>I shook it and nodded, "Alex."</p><p>Heading inside I noticed a few more people either repainting a wall, repairing electrical work, or playing with the plumbing. I found Sam quickly and he shook my hand before going into a few details about what they had come across and how long he had estimated to fix it.</p><p>"That's fine man, just let me know cause I'm sick of Seattle already." I joked and he laughed.</p><p>"I'm never surprised when people want to get away from that hell." He said.</p><p>It was then that someone I hadn't seen milling around came barrelling in looking murderous.</p><p>"Sam, I fucking told you I-" the guy started with, but as soon as I had turned to look at him properly, he stopped in his tracks.</p><p>As soon as our eyes met, it seemed like time slowed down. I felt like I was looking into a black hole, everything about this guy just drew me in and made me want more. His eyes were stunning, a soft brown with gold and dark brown flecks, his hair looked so soft yet durable. I could've sunken into that state but I snapped myself out of it when I heard another one round the corner and start laughing.</p><p>"Oh dude, you're never going to believe thi-"</p><p>"Quil, shut it. Paul, out!" Sam yelled, cutting 'Quil' off.</p><p>Someone had to drag Paul out because he seemed to be in a state of shock, but I suddenly felt possessive, wanting to follow after them and see what had happened to this guy. I wanted to know if he was feeling what I was feeling. I wanted to know what the fuck that was, but realistically the dude seemed like he would fucking total me if I asked him if he had also felt a spark go off and shift his entire fucking world view in a short snap like that. So I left him be and focused back on what Sam was telling me.</p><p>"He seems... Fun." I said, removing my eyes from the now empty doorway and back to Sam's now concerned looking ones.</p><p>Sam acted as though he was watching me for some sort of outburst as he spoke.</p><p>"Paul's a little hot headed. Early starts aren't his favourite but he's a good guy." He said, and I raised an eyebrow before nodding.</p><p>"Right... Anyway look, I have a meeting soon but keep me updated on the progress. I'll see you later, Sam." </p><p>Part of me wanted out so I could see if Paul was still there, see what was going on, the other part knew he was gone already. No new cars had pulled up, but none of them had left either. How the hell did he get here? The house is like 5 miles from literally anything other than a stream.</p><p>Fuck it, I got out of there. Suddenly my brain had switched from attracted and possessive to 'wait, what the fuck, that's not normal'.</p><p>It was after that day that I started seeing Paul in my dreams alongside the wolf. Any time the wolf would pop up, Paul would be right there next to it, drawing me in, trying to bring me almost close enough to touch. And every single time he would reach out, I would wake up in a sweat. </p><p>My routine had become the same. Even a month later, with the repairs finished and furniture moved in, unfortunately no sign of Paul since that day too, but even then, every single time I would wake up from those dreams, I would get up, close my window, go downstairs and start my day. Sometimes it was 3am, sometimes I was lucky and it would be around 5am. Most seemed to happen about 4am though. Four days of the week I would wake up at exactly 4am for the day. I would end up passing out around 10pm every night because of these dreams, and by 4.30 I would be out for a run.</p><p>For now, I felt like I was just biding my time. I knew that it was only a matter of days before I felt sleep deprived enough to actually live the dream and just run straight into the forest, even if my dreams had set a uniform for that occassion.</p>
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